Acon Digital Equalize 2

[stian]

-RMB solo works nicely except for a small issue: it seems to get stuck very occasionally, so that when you release the mouse button it remains enabled for a short while after. The headphones icon seems to respond quickly and switches off but the filtered audio still remains for about a second. Not a major issue but just causes a double-take.
(Windows 7 64bit)

-Also another small feature improvement that came to mind. It could be nice to have the mouse-wheel work on the scaling selection boxes (left and right of the main analyzer window) and even the Analyzer 1 and 2 dropdowns.

Thanks for the feedback! I've added entries for both the solo mode issue and the feature request in out tracking system and we'll try to address at least the solo mode issue in the next build.

Best,
Stian

[4tune]

Thanks Stian!

Just to add to the bug report, sometimes the solo mode gets fully stuck and not just for a second. A further click from the mouse is needed to clear/reset it then.

[stian]

Thanks Stian!

Just to add to the bug report, sometimes the solo mode gets fully stuck and not just for a second. A further click from the mouse is needed to clear/reset it then.

I see, thanks for the elaboration -- I'll look into it.

Best,
Stian

[J1000]

Imho, this plugin already overtook FF Pro-Q as the reference EQ. Still, there are few minor things to polish and improve:

- Knob for filter bandwidth shouldn't be linear, but exponential(ish). The default position (1.0) should be up at 12 o'clock. Most of the time you'll operate somewhere between 0.1 - 3. Lower values are cramped into very tiny knob range and it becomes rather unprecise.

- There should be an option in preferences to disable floating tooltip that shows filter parameters next to it's node while you move it. It seems graphically redudant since you already see parameters more clearly under the knobs.

- Option to automatically adjust gain knob sensitivity when you change working dynamic range. For example, when you work in 3dB or 6dB range, small knob movements produce big changes and it becomes too rough without using CTRL as a mouse modifier (which takes two hands and it's not practical for frequent usage). The same goes for mouse scroll-wheel action.

- Needs some kind of visual aid showing edges/handles of zoom tool under the graph. Maybe even some kind of scrollbar.

- I think that double-clicking the node should only disable/bypass it, not delete it. It seems easier to check on/off without using left hand to hold SHIFT. Shift could be used for something else, like inverting the filter or locking movement on horizontal axis.

Keep on the excellent work Acon Digital.

[J1000]

...also, this is maybe a bug - resonance of shelf filters produces sharp notch/peak at low gains close to zero. It should proportionally flatten as gain is reduced.

[stian]

Hi!

Imho, this plugin already overtook FF Pro-Q as the reference EQ. Still, there are few minor things to polish and improve:

Thank you, I'm very glad to hear that!

- Knob for filter bandwidth shouldn't be linear, but exponential(ish). The default position (1.0) should be up at 12 o'clock. Most of the time you'll operate somewhere between 0.1 - 3. Lower values are cramped into very tiny knob range and it becomes rather unprecise.

Good point and very easy to fix -- I'll get this implemented ASAP.

- There should be an option in preferences to disable floating tooltip that shows filter parameters next to it's node while you move it. It seems graphically redudant since you already see parameters more clearly under the knobs.

Also an easy thing to add -- I've created an entry in our task tracker.

- Option to automatically adjust gain knob sensitivity when you change working dynamic range. For example, when you work in 3dB or 6dB range, small knob movements produce big changes and it becomes too rough without using CTRL as a mouse modifier (which takes two hands and it's not practical for frequent usage). The same goes for mouse scroll-wheel action.

I'm not quite sure I understood this one correctly. Do you mean that the knob sensitivity should be changed according to the amplitude view range in the equalizer curve?

- Needs some kind of visual aid showing edges/handles of zoom tool under the graph. Maybe even some kind of scrollbar.

Maybe we could add some kind of grip icons or similar to make it more obvious. I like the idea of keeping the UI uncluttered, so that's why there's no scrollbar. However, based on the user feedback so far, the current implementation could indeed be made more intuitive.

- I think that double-clicking the node should only disable/bypass it, not delete it. It seems easier to check on/off without using left hand to hold SHIFT. Shift could be used for something else, like inverting the filter or locking movement on horizontal axis.

This is actually something we are reconsidering at the moment. Currently, solo mode and bypass mode only applies to the current band. We have had a couple of requests for multiple bypassed bands.

Keep on the excellent work Acon Digital.

Thanks again! We'll do our best.

Best,
Stian

[stian]

...also, this is maybe a bug - resonance of shelf filters produces sharp notch/peak at low gains close to zero. It should proportionally flatten as gain is reduced.

This isn't actually a bug. I designed the EQ to use units that one can easily relate to. The resonance is specified in dB which turns into a fixed offset in logarithmic gain scale. I would like to keep dB as the unit. When moving the band handles in the curve, however, it would probably be possible to change the resonance value proportionally. That would be similar to how the gain - bandwidth link works now.

Best,
Stian

[J1000]

I'm not quite sure I understood this one correctly. Do you mean that the knob sensitivity should be changed according to the amplitude view range in the equalizer curve?

Exactly. Smaller the amplitude view range - finer the response of gain knob (both for click and scroll-wheel action).

Maybe we could add some kind of grip icons or similar to make it more obvious.

Grip icons would be totally fine.

The resonance is specified in dB which turns into a fixed offset in logarithmic gain scale. I would like to keep dB as the unit. When moving the band handles in the curve, however, it would probably be possible to change the resonance value proportionally.

Oh, I get it now. That could be the right solution.

/

Regarding filter bypass... i think that most used functions should have the easiest and most intuitive controls. I guess that filter bypassing (single or multi) to check it's effect is essential function of an EQ. That's why it should have the simplest/quickest control, like double-click. SHIFT+click, or any other key combo, should be used for something non-essential.

You should also consider global bypass button. Although every DAW has it's own effect bypass, it's good to have one internally.

Cheers,

Jovan

[stian]

Hi!

I'm sorry, apparently I forgot to answer your post...

-RMB solo works nicely except for a small issue: it seems to get stuck very occasionally, so that when you release the mouse button it remains enabled for a short while after. The headphones icon seems to respond quickly and switches off but the filtered audio still remains for about a second. Not a major issue but just causes a double-take.
(Windows 7 64bit)

Thanks, we've received similar reports and we're looking into it.

-Also another small feature improvement that came to mind. It could be nice to have the mouse-wheel work on the scaling selection boxes (left and right of the main analyzer window) and even the Analyzer 1 and 2 dropdowns.

Thanks, I've added that request to the tracking system. Seems like a good idea. I guess it should be standard behaviour for all combo boxes if we implement it.

Best,
Stian

[4tune]

Thanks Stian,

appreciate your responsiveness on suggestions here! (even if just in consideration)

[hamayame]

Hi,

Does equalize can be automate?
I try to automate a band freq on Ableton Live 9, but it just reject to be automate.

[stian]

Hi,

Does equalize can be automate?
I try to automate a band freq on Ableton Live 9, but it just reject to be automate.

All the parameters in Equalize 2 can be automated, so I'm not really sure what's going on there.

Best,
Stian

[davidreasonnl]

Are there any plans to make Equalize 2 or 3 a dynamic EQ soon?
I am looking for a dynamic EQ but don't have to look further when Acon Digital is adding it to it's already great equalize plugin.

[vladimireti]

Hi Stian.
First of all I'd like to thank you for the great products you're making. I just bought Equalize and for me it sounds much better than Pro-Q2 which was my go-to eq for years. To me the transients are reproduced tighter and the overall sound is more musical and transparent. Great job!

A few things that came over while I was playing with Equalize and which I would love to be implemented in the future updates:
1. Personally I, and I'm sure many other engineers are used to see the banwidth value in quality factor (Q), not in octaves the way it's represented at the moment. That would be nice if one could choose Q or Oct representation type on the preferences page.
2. When I click on one of the eq bands on the curve, the frequency of the band would most often move to another value. But I don't intend to change the frequency value, I just want to choose a certain frequency band.
My vision is short click to choose a band on the curve or press, hold and move the cursor to move the frequency value of the band.
3. I like spectrum analyzer drop rate set quite fast, it helps me to dig into the mix better, but that would be really cool if I could see the accumulative spectrum at the same time. That function is smoothly implemented in Pro-Q2 plugin. If you move the mouse to spectrum analyzer and freeze the cursor there for a second or two - the accumulative spectrum line appears above the main spectrum analyzer and dissapears if you move the mouse again. Maybe you could make it work the same way.
4. I could't find input(stereo) and output(stereo) in frequency analyzer options.
5. I'd like to see a global gain control knob which affects gain of all bands simultaneously in percentage. Thus you could lessen or enhance the equalization fast and safe. (I'm aware that it's possible to select and edit multiple bands at the same time, but that's another function).

Cheers,
Vladimir

[stian]

Hi David,

Are there any plans to make Equalize 2 or 3 a dynamic EQ soon?
I am looking for a dynamic EQ but don't have to look further when Acon Digital is adding it to it's already great equalize plugin.

I'm sorry for my late reply. We are currently thinking about a dynamic EQ, but it's not clear if we'll add this functionality to Equalize or in a separate plug-in. Anyway, it will take a while before we release this and you should probably look for alternatives if you need this soon.

Best,
Stian